Juvenile vehicle structure



July 23, 1940- s. A. SNELL JUVENILE VEHIC LE STRUCTURE Filed Jan. 9,1939 III/A INVENTOR ATTORNEYS Patented July 23, 1940 UNITED STATES2,209,176 JUVENILE VEHICLE 's'rnoo'ronn Samuel A. Snell, Toledo, Ohio,assignor to The American-National Company, Toledo, Ohio, a

corporation of Ohio Application January 9,1939, Serial No. 250,022 '1Claims. (01. 280-87411) This invention relates generally to juvenilevehicle bodies and constitutes a continuation in part of my applicationfiled July 31, 1937, bearing Serial Number 156,789, which is a divisionof my .5 application filed March 15, 1937, bearing Serial One of theessential objects of the present invention is to provide a body that canbe manufactured entirely from sheet metal stampings and that willeffectively withstand the stresses and strains to which it is subjectedwhile in use.

Another object is to provide a body of the type mentioned that iscomparatively light in weight and is attractive and pleasing inappearance.

Another object is to provide a body thatgcan be manufactured inrelatively large quantities at a comparatively low cost.

Other objects, advantages and novel details of construction of thisinvention will be made more apparent as this description proceeds,especially when considered in connection with the accompanying drawing,wherein:

Figure his a side elevation of a juvenile vehicle body embodying myinvention;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the body illustrated in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 3-3 ofFigure 1;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 4-4 ofFigure 1;

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 5-5 ofFigure 1;

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken substantially 36 on the line 6-6 ofFigure 1;

Figure 7 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 1-1 ofFigure 2.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view through thejuvenile vehicle body illustrated in Figure 1. I

Referring now to the drawing, B is the hood, and S is the elongated loadcarrying shell of a juvenile automobile body made in accordance with myinvention. As shown, the elements mentioned are formed from sheet metaland are permanently and rigidly united together, for example, by weldingoperations. Preferably, the shell S is provided at its upper edgesbeneath the hood B with inturned substantially flat flanges l to whichsimilarly inturned substantially flat flanges 2 of the hood B aresecured and is provided at its upper edges in rear of said hood withinwardly projecting flanges 3 of inverted U-cross section. In thepresent instance, the shell 56 S has two forward sections 4, two rearsections 5, and two intermediate sections 6 rigidly secured together. Asshown, the front and rear sections 4 and 5 are each substantiallyL-shape in plan and cooperate with the intermediate substantially-flatsections 6 to form a rigid elong- 5 5 gated hollow load carrying shell Shaving upright front and rear end.walls and substantially parallel sidewalls. Thus, thetwo forward sections 4 cooperate with each other to formthe forward end and adjacent portions of the side :10 walls of theshell, while the two rear sections 5 cooperate with each other to formthe rear end and adjacent portions of the side walls of the shell.Preferably the front and rear sections 4 and 5 are provided at theiradjacent'edges with 15 outwardly embossed strip-like portions 1 and 8,respectively, that form frame-like abutments for the upright edges ofthe intermediate section 6. Portions Band II] of the front and rearsections 4 and 5 between these border portions! and 8 .20 constituteattaching flanges for the intermediate section 6. As illustrated inFigure 8, the inturned portions or bases 50 of the forward sections 4-4of the shell abut and are joined to gether at 5| preferably by a weldingoperation, ;25 approximately at the longitudinal median line of thejuvenile vehicle body, while the inturned portions or bases 52 of therear sections 5-5 of the shell abut and are joined together at 53preferably by a welding operation, approximately 30 at the longitudinalmedian line of the juvenile vehicle body. As shown, the forward and rearsections 4 and 5 have outwardly embossed portions H and 12 of invertedL-cross section forming front and rear fenders, while the intermediate.35 sections 6 simulate doors and have elongated embossed portions l3simulating door latch handles. Preferably the vertical portions 14 ofthe front fenders are provided with openings l5 to permit the frontwheels 16 of the automobile 40 to turn, and the metal at the edges ofsaidopenings is bent inwardly to provide substantially flat stiffeningflanges H. To further stiffen and reinforce the structure, the metal ofthe shell S between the front and rear fenders H and i2 45 is bentoutwardly, downwardly and theme inwardly to provide inwardly openingchannels. I, and the metal of said shell in front and in rear of saidchannels'l8 is bent inwardly at the lower edges of said shell to provideinwardly projecting 50 substantiallyflat flanges l9. Inasmuch as thevertical portions 20 of the rear fenders are devoid of openings suchasl5, suchvertical portions are preferably embossed outwardly as at 2| toafford proper clearance for the hub caps 22 of the rear l, e U l v l14,, l, u e,

wheels 23 of the automobile. If desired, upright vided at their upperends with outturned flanges 26 ofvinverted U-configuration that overlapand are secured to the inturned fianges3 and 21, respectivfily, Of theshell, and are provided at'their lower ends with substantially fiatinturned flanges 28 that form supports for the horizontal stamping 25.

"jacentend portions j to Inthe process of construction; -the'hood B'is'formed separately from the shells. Likewise the intermediate doorsecticns'fi; are formed .sepa-.

rately from the front and rear sections d and of said shell.

In the-present instance the size'of the'sections' 6 determines thelength of the juvenilebody; when'completed. I Consequently, as inserts Bof various sizes may be used; it is possible by their use to providejuvenile automobilebodies' of difier'ent length.

What I claim as 'my'invention' is:

"1; In a'juv'enile vehicle body ofthe typegin which a childrides, arigid load-carrying upright side structure having longitudinally spacedfront and rear panel sections, and an intermediate 1 panel sectionpermanently secured to said spaced panel sections; the spaced frontand-rear panel sections'having' outwardly bulging portions forming wheelfenders, the spaced front and i rear panel 'se'ctions being providedbetween "said Wheel 7 fenders, with aligned, inwardly opening,longitudinally extending, reinforcing channels, the intermediate sectionhaving an inwardly opening, longitudinally extending, reinforcingchannel overlapping and permanently secured "tothe adof the alignedchannels aforesaid; f

'2. In a juvenile vehicle body of the type in which a child rides, arigid load-carrying upright side." structure having longitudinallyspaced pressed metal panel sections and'an'intermediate panel sectionsimulating a door, said spaced panel sections being provided at theiradjacent edges with-strip-like" embossed portions forming frameli-keabutments for "the adjacent edges of the in termediate sectionadjacentportions'of the lower longitudinally extendinge'dge portions of saidspaced panel sections being channel-shaped, and the lower longitudinallyeiitending edge portion o'f'said intermediate panel section beingchannelfshaped and overlapping" and be'ing 'pernianently secured to theadjace'nt 'channel shape'd portions of'said I spaced panel sections.

A uvenile vehicle body having a rigid elongated hollow load carrying's'hell' provided with uprightifrontand rearendjwalls and substantially' parallel upright side walls, cornprising' six stampings, four ofsaid stam'pin'gs being sub stantially L shape in plan and the othertwoof said stampings being' substantially flat side panel sections, twoof said four L -shaped stampings cooperating to form the forward end andadjacent portions of the side walls of theshell, the ether two ofl's aidfour L'-shaped 'stampihgs cooperating to' form-the rear the'side wallsof the shell, the bases of the first mentioned pair of L-"sh'aped*s'tampi'ng's being rigidly secured together, thebases of the secondfinentioned pair of L-shaped stampings :bem'g rigidly secured together,the two pairs of L5- shapedstampings beingspaced apart with the sidewall-portions of the L-shaped s'tampings' of end and [adjacent portionsof one pair substantially in alignment with the side wall portions ofthe L-shaped stampings of the second pair, and said side panel sectionsbeingv intermediate and rigidly secured to adjacent edges of the sidewall portions of said L-shaped stampings whereby said side panelsections 00- operate with the side wall portions of said -L- shapedstampings to form elongated trusses.

a eni e vehicle bbdr v ne a ri elongated hollow load carrying shell, anda hood, the shell comprising six stampings, four of said stampings beingsubstantially L-shape in plan 'and'the other two of said stampings beingsubstantially flat side. panel sections, two of said four L shapestampin'g'sffcooperating to form the forward-:end and adjacent portionsof the side walls of the shell, the other two of said four L-shapestampings cooperating to form the rear end and V adjacentportions'of theside walls of the shell, the bases of the first mentioned pair ofL-shape stampings ibeing rigidly secured" together, the basesof thesecond mentioned pair of L-shape stamping-s being I rigidlysecuredtogether, 'the two pairs of- L -shape stampings being spaced apart withthe sidewall portions of the h sha'pe stampings of one pairsubstantially in alig-nment with the side 'wallportions of the L-shape'stainpings of the secondpair, and said-side panel ec: tions beingintermediate and rigidly-secured to adjacent edges ofthesidewall-portions of said L-shape stampings, the'hoodbein'g' a separateinverted substantially trough-shapestamping and being-mounted upon andrigidly secured tothe two L-shape stampingsaforesaid forming-the forwardend and adjacent side portions fof'the A juvenile vehicle body having arigid'elongated hollow load carrying shell provided with uprightfront-and rear; end walls and substantially parallel upright sideWall's, comprising-six stamp ings, four of said stampings beingsubstantially L -sha'pein planand the other-two'- of said stampingsbeing substantially'flatsidepanel sections, the bases of two' of'saidfour-L-shape stampings being secured'togethe'r and forming the-forwardend-'wall'of the shell," the'sideportionsof thetwo L-shape stampingsjust mentioned being spaced apartin substantially parallel relation toeach other and forming the forward'side walls of the' shell] the basesof the other two "L-shape stampend w'a1l"oi: the shell, the 'sideportions of thelast mentioned L -shape stampin-gs being spaced apartside-' wa1l portions ofthe 'L -shape stampings of one pair substantiallyin alignment with the side wall portions of the L' shape stalnpings ofthe second" pair, and saidside -paneI -sections being intermediate andrigidly secured to adjacent edgesof theside wallfportions 'of saidL'-'shaped stamp rigs. v

50 ings being secured together a nd forming'the'rear 6'. In' a--juvenilevehicle-body having a rigid elongatedhollow load carrying shell providedwith "uprightfront and rear end walls andsubsta'n tially fpfarallelupright side walls, an upright-ilo'ad carrying wall structure comprisingthree stampings, two-of said"stampin'gs being substantially- L-shape inplan; and the third s'tamp'in'g 'being a substantially fiat" side panel-section, the base of one of said L-shape stampings formingapproximately one-half the front end wall of the shell, the base of theother L-shape stamping forming approximately one-half of the rear endwall of the shell, the side portions of the L-shape stampings formingside Wall portions of the shell, said L-shape stampings being spacedapart with the side wall portions thereof substantially in alignment,and said side panel section being intermediate and rigidly secured toadjacent edges of the aligned spaced side wall portions of said L-shapestampings.

7. In a juvenile vehicle body of the type in which a child rides, arigid elongated hollow load carrying shell having two rigid loadcarrying upright side wall structures, each of said side wall structuresconsisting of longitudinally spaced front and rear upright side panels,and an intermediate upright side panel section, the front panels of saidside structures having inturned portions at their forward ends securedrigidly together and forming the front end wall of the shell, the rearpanels of said side structures having inturned portions at their rearends secured rigidly together and forming the rear end wall of theshell, and the intermediate panel section of each side structure beingpermanently secured to the adjacent edge portions of the front and rearpanel sections of the respective side structures.

SAMUEL A. SNELL.

